Symposium 56 - Social-emotional functioning of youth with ADHD and related disorders in different developmental stages

Chair(s)

• DW

  Daniel Waschbusch, Ph.D.

  Professor
  Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
  Hershey, Pennsylvania

Discussant(s)

• JW

  James Waxmonsky, M.D. (he/him/his)

  Penn State Hershey Medical Center
  Hershey, Pennsylvania

Presenter(s)

• PG

  Paulo Graziano, Ph.D.

  Professor
  Florida International University
  Miami, Florida
• PB

  Pevitr Bansal, Ph.D.

  Postdoctoral Clinical Psychology Fellow
  University of California San Francisco
  San Francisco, California
• DW

  Daniel Waschbusch, Ph.D.

  Professor
  Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
  Hershey, Pennsylvania
• DB

  Dara Babinski, ABPP, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Penn State College of Medicine
  Hershey, Pennsylvania
• MD

  Melissa Dvorsky, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  Children’s National Health System
  Washington, District of Columbia

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects an estimated 5-10% of children worldwide. ADHD is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that cause significant impairment in daily functioning across multiple settings, including home, school, and social situations. In addition to these core symptoms, children and adolescents with ADHD are also at risk for a range of social-emotional difficulties that can have long-term negative consequences for their social and academic outcomes. These social-emotional difficulties start early and emerge across development. In preschool, children with ADHD often struggle with social skills, emotional regulation, and self-control. In elementary school, children with ADHD have impaired social-cognitive abilities and exhibit problematic social behaviors, resulting in high rates of peer rejection and avoidance. In adolescence, children with ADHD struggle to connect with peers and form meaningful relationships, resulting in isolation from peers, feelings of loneliness, and low self-esteem.

This symposium will examine the social-emotional functioning of children with ADHD in different developmental stages, including early childhood, childhood, and adolescence. Associated factors, such as conduct problems, callous-unemotional traits, and personality factors, will also be examined. One study (Graziano et al) used a preschool-sample of children and found that children with ADHD at this age use less prosocial and more aggressive social cognitive styles, and shows that emotional dysregulation is related to worse social functioning. One study (Bansal & Waschbusch) used ab elementary-school-age sample in behavioral treatment and found that children with ADHD and conduct problems were more likely to get Time Out for misbehavior, whereas children with CU traits showed the most disruptive behavior while in Time Out. Another study of elementary school-age children (Waschbusch) reported that children with ADHD were less likely to detect social cues, whereas children with conduct problems were more likely to generate aggressive responses to social problems. In a sample of late childhood / early adolescents (Babinski et al), results showed that ODD, anxiety, and depression, rather than ADHD, was associated with altered processing of social acceptance and explained unique variance in personality pathology. Finally, a sample of late adolescents (Dvorsky et al) found those with ADHD were more likely to be classified as low well-being and had worse performance on school engagement and belonging, social acceptance, and conflict with parents.

Implications of these results for the assessment and treatment of ADHD will be provided in each talk and by the discussant.